SPORTS BRIEFS

Agencies

Thu, Aug 16, 2012 - Page 18

CYCLING

Leon Sanchez victorious

Spaniard Luis Leon Sanchez on Tuesday won the San Sebastian classic for the second time, as the Rabobank rider finished 7 seconds ahead of Australia’s Simon Gerrans of Orica-Green Edge and Lotto-Belisol’s Belgian cyclist Gianni Meersman after 234km of racing. The 28-year-old, who also won the race in 2010, broke away from the peloton during the final few kilometers and held onto his lead as the chasing pack were unable to track him down. Winner of four of the past five Spanish time-trial championships, Leon Sanchez has also won four stages on the Tour de France and had a career high ranking of 10th overall during the 2010 season, when he also finished 10th on the Tour of Spain.

OLYMPICS

Peeping Tom in court

A man has appeared in a British court for sentencing after admitting spying on members of the Chinese Olympic swimming team in a women’s changing room. Declan Crosbie is accused of peering over the top of cubicles as members of the team were getting changed at a sports center where they were training in the northern city of Leeds. The 25-year-old pleaded guilty last month to a charge of trespassing with intent to commit a sexual offense. A spokeswoman for Leeds Crown Court said on Tuesday that Crosbie’s sentencing was delayed until Sept. 17. Crosbie has previous convictions for voyeurism and trespassing. Judge Peter Collier said he would consider sentencing Crosbie to a treatment course for sex offenders.

BASEBALL

Mathis goes to Blue Jays

Catcher Jeff Mathis has agreed to a US$3 million, two-year contract with the Toronto Blue Jays for next year and 2014. Mathis is to earn US$1.5 million in each of the next two seasons. The deal includes a US$1.5 million team option for 2015. There is no buyout. Traded to Toronto from the Los Angeles Angels in December, Mathis is batting .215 with nine doubles, six homers and 19 RBIs in 46 games. He has one error in 305 chances. An eight-year veteran, Mathis is a career .196 hitter with 32 homers and 158 RBIs. Also on Tuesday, Toronto agreed to a minor league contract with catcher Yorvit Torrealba and assigned him to Double-A New Hampshire. General manager Alex Anthopoulos said Torrealba will play four games at Double-A starting on Thursday, then join the Blue Jays in Detroit on Tuesday next week. Torrealba was released by Texas on Aug. 8 after batting .236 with three home runs and 12 RBIs in 49 games. The 12-year veteran has also played for San Francisco, Seattle, Colorado and San Diego. Toronto was left thin at catcher when J.P. Arencibia fractured his right hand in a July 25 game against Oakland.

FOOTBALL

Giants lose Rogers to injury

Super Bowl champions New York Giants suffered another blow to their defensive line on Tuesday when three-time Pro Bowler Shaun Rogers was lost for the season because of treatment for a blood clot in his left leg. The defensive tackle, who has previously played for Detroit, Cleveland and New Orleans, joined the Giants in April. Though initially overweight, he had lost 50 pounds by the time he joined the team’s training camp at the University at Albany. However, the 33-year-old Rogers experienced swelling in his lower leg after playing in the preseason opener on Friday and he missed team practice on Sunday and Monday before being diagnosed at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan.